Pooch party

Chester, Spike and Winthrop (left to right) wait for the treats to be handed out.

Chester had some of his canine comrades over in the backyard today. There are several Basset hounds in the neighborhood. The two who live closest are Spike and Winthrop. The three of them are like best friends.

Spike (in the middle in the picture above) is the youngest of the bunch. He just came to the neighborhood on Jan. 1. His owners adopted him from a Basset rescue group after their previous Basset, Charlie, died in October. This was actually the first time Chester and Spike have had a chance to run around together off leash -- and they had a blast!

Chester was always the most energetic of the three when Charlie was around. But young Spike is more than a match for Chester. They chased each other around the yard today, while Winthrop just watched and waited for the treats. It really was fun to see them in action.